Great, so what do I run MacOS Server on?
A laptop? with 16 gigs of ram?
Great, what about redundant power supplies? dual network?
nope thought not.
Let me guess? still can't [legally] virtualize it on non apple hardware right?
A laptop? with 16 gigs of ram?
Great, what about redundant power supplies? dual network?
nope thought not.
Let me guess? still can't [legally] virtualize it on non apple hardware right?
So in theory you could add redundant power supplies and dual wired network connections and it has a built in UPS in case of power outage, maybe.
Maybe not, 'tis a silly idea.
Maybe it's a sign that Apple are considering releasing server grade hardware again in the future ...but probably not that either.
Each one comes with a built-in KVM console, and boy does it look good! Finally, no more pushing that cart with a 17" CRT around the data center so you can use vi in a 40x80 console. These laptop servers have retina screens, baby.
Only one question should stand between you and outfitting your data center with MBPs: Space Gray or Silver?
Server hardware is very expensive, and workstation or server class GPU hardware is not cheap either. Mac Pros are not the best price/performance ratio in that class, but they are (even now) within reason.
Just because something photographs well, it doesn't mean that caution was thrown to the wind just to get something pretty. It's a datacenter after all, it's meant to facilitate a task. The rationale behind imgix deploying Mac Pros in a datacenter environment was pragmatic and based on certain fixed technical requirements.
Money doesn't equal success. It may mean you have more at your disposal and can be more wasteful to get to your goals but if your idea isn't sound and nobody pays you lose anyway.
I wonder how many tons of TNT of energy are contained within a rack full of 152 LiPo batteries...
[1] http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ [2] http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=76+watt+hours+in+tons+o...
(In a previous life, I have cut the handles off a mac pro to make it fit in a normal rack....)
A Mac Pro addresses your concerns a bit better but there is a larger price tag.
I have used Mini's for servers for years and they hold up pretty well.
(putting aside under powered/poor storage)
My Mac Pro still feels very useful to me. I use it daily as my main machine. I may consider upgrading the SSD to a TB when the prices come down.
Which means I can't shove it in the server room, monitor it, use UPS properly, and its all limited to 1 gig ethernet.
Most small businesses never have to worry about the problems that come from outgrowing their IT infrastructure.
10GE ThunderBolt NICs are a thing. Alternatively you could use a ThunderBolt PCI-E enclosure.